The Storage Tip That'll Make Putting Away A Walking Lawn Mower So Much Easier

When you want to maximize a small garage space, finding better ways to store your outdoor power tools and appliances is a good starting point. These devices are bulky, and you might only use them a few times per year or month — like your push lawn mower. TikTok user rudydagoat_1 created a video that shows how to store certain push lawn mowers vertically with the handle folded down. If you have any of the newer models of self-propelled lawn mowers, you'll probably be able to fold down the handle, making it easy to store the unit vertically.

If you store the mower horizontally with the wheels on the ground, it requires significant floor space. An average mower with a 21-inch cutting deck measures at least 21 inches in width and about 62 inches in length with the handle extended. This size of unit needs about 9 square feet of floor space. If you can fold down the handle, an average machine needs about 5 square feet of floor space when stored horizontally. However, if you fold down the handle and stack the machine upright in a vertical orientation, it only needs about 2 square feet of floor space.

Before turning the lawn mower on its end to store it vertically, you need to fold down the handle. It should double over toward the deck of the mower, ending up directly over the top of it. If you're unsure whether your push mower has a foldable handle, check the user guide — you need to be able to loosen it near the rear wheels. If your model doesn't have a collapsable joint in this area, you may be out of luck.

To fold down the handle, loosen any locks, knobs, or cam locks at the joint. Some newer mowers may have release switches that you depress. As you fold the handle, watch the positioning of any cables and take care not to pinch them or they could break. Depending on your model, you may be able to lock the grip in the folded position so it doesn't flop out of place in the next step.

Now you need to turn the lawn mower on its end. Start by making sure your gas and oil caps are tight and don't leak (if you have a battery-powered lawn mower, you don't have to worry about this). Afterward, lift the front of the mower so it faces upward and store it with the back end resting on the ground, as most of the weight is in the rear for balance. 

There are other options for maximizing storage space in a small garage. You could fold down the handle and then attach the push mower onto a storage rack securely fixed to a wall. Use large, heavy-duty S-hooks to catch the underside of the appliance's deck. However, push mowers can be extremely heavy, usually weighing between 60 and 90 pounds. You may struggle to lift this much weight and hang the machine on the wall rack. You also need an extremely sturdy rack to support this amount of weight.

You may want to purchase a pedestal lift to hoist the mower well off the floor of the garage and store it near the ceiling. Such lifts are expensive, carrying a price tag as high as $2,500, so they may not fit into your budget. In addition, if you have a tall vehicle or a short garage ceiling, this option may not work well — unless you have an attic space for the lift.

For a cheaper option, DIY a raised shelf with a ramp. Start by grabbing some spare wood studs. Then, use plywood to create the storage platform for the mower and a ramp, and build a raised platform a few feet off the ground. You then can roll the mower on top of the platform and store other items in the space underneath.